How acupuncture can treat diabetes

As a traditional Chinese practice, acupuncture is known to treat many diseases and conditions like infertility, headaches, and even chronic pain. While its efficacy is being studied by health experts and scientists all over the world, a lot of practitioners feel that the therapy can be extended to cure type-2 diabetes as well. In acupuncture, the “activation” points are triggered when needles are pierced into specific areas in our body.

Acupuncture places a lot of focus on fighting the symptoms from the root. Since diabetes is a condition that stems from hormonal imbalance in the endocrine system and tends to be painful, acupuncture needles stimulate these endorphins, bringing about positive energy and reducing pain that might arise out of it. Not just that, acupuncture can also help in relieving the side effects of diabetes, maintaining insulin levels and regulating pancreatic function. Regular acupuncture can also fight obesity in the long run. According to doctors, acupuncture helps in improving 5 bodily functions:

• It helps in managing weight.
• It boosts blood glucose levels in diabetic patients.
• It controls insulin production and protects the pancreas.
• It improves insulin resistance.
• It also manages the levels of some important hormones in our body, like melatonin, insulin, glucocorticoid, and epinephrine.

How does acupuncture work?

According to traditional healers, the ancient therapy is the most effective when low-intensity waves are passed through the body. The average therapy time for an acupuncture sitting to treat diabetes is about 20-30 minutes, conducted twice a week. According to Indiatimes, depending on the intensity, a patient might also be required to undergo more frequent sittings. Usually, two types of acupuncture are used in diabetes treatment:

1. Electroacupuncture

This technique is particularly effective for treating pain. Low-frequency electric current are passed between two acupuncture points where the needles are inserted. This helps in regualting insulin resistance and sensitivity.

2. Wrist-ankle treatment

Another popular therapy for treating diabetes, this method focuses on stimulating the trigger points to relieve pain. It’s also known to be effective in treating anxiety and improving the overall quality of life, in addition to lowering blood sugar levels.

Acupuncture helps in maintaining harmony in the body, by focusing on the parts where sugar levels are mismatched. The technique is said to be free of side-effects, and can be combined with other forms of diabetes treatment. However, it’s ideal to consult a medical practitioner before opting for acupuncture.